A GC-MS method for illegal stimulant drugs from serum : a multi-drug use sample in Turkey

Abstract

Abstract: It is rather difficult to determine simultaneously more than one drug from different biological samplesand to interpret the clinical picture in the case of multiple drug abuse. All mentioned drugs are life-threateningsolely and the risk is becoming higher when they are used together. In this study, a gas chromatography-massspectrometry (GC-MS) method was developed and validated for the simultaneous detection and quantification ofamphetamine (AMP), 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and cocaine in serum sample. Theanalytes were extracted by solid-phase extraction (SPE) cartridges, derivated with heptafluorobutyric anhydride at60°C for 30 min and analyzed by GC-MS. Correlation coefficient values were found satisfactory. Linearity rangedfrom 1 to 20 μg/mL for all three substances. After acceptable results were obtained from calibration solutions, thestudy was conducted to observe matrix-match calibration and linearity parameters. Extraction efficiency of themethod was observed in two concentrations spiked to serum matrix (5 and 10 μg/mL) and found over 80% forthree illicit drugs. Precision, accuracy, stability evaluation were appropriate as well. The validated analyticalmethod was applied to an authentic sample which obtained from a patient administered to emergency room. Thepatient was suspected in regard to multi-drug use of stimulants and serum sample was analyzed by the presentedmethod and AMP, MDMA and cocaine use was determined with concentrations of 0.45, 1.03 and 1.98 mg/mL inblood respectively. The developed method proved capable of quantifying simultaneous AMP, MDMA and cocaineuse proposed in this study. Multidrug abuse is not a novel phenomenon but has to be determined as soon as possibleby forensic toxicology laboratories because of potential severe health risks.